1To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 30 September 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you two letters from St. Yldefonso under the dates of the 2d. and 3d. of this month—the first was sent to Mr. Yznardi to be forwarded directly to you—the second was sent by duplicate under cover to the Sec. of State. My stay at St. Yldefonso was prolonged until within these few days contrary to my expectation when I last wrote to you. During this time I have recieved the duplicate and...
2To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 3 September 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
The present will be forwarded to you by the Sec. of State, to whom I inclose it in a letter I have just written to him, and in which I inform him of my desire that he should be relieved from the trouble he has been so kind as to take as to the converting into public funds the sum of 9000 dollars assigned me. The hour of the post is so near at hand that I can only write you now as to this...
3To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 2 September 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
I had last night the inexpressible pleasure of once more recieving a letter from you. It is the first you have written me since your retreat to Monticello. I am really happy in the extreme to see that your long silence has proceeded from the constant occupation of your agricultural pursuits. Accept my dear Sir my sincerest thanks for the moments you have abstracted therefrom to give to me....
4To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 29 January 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
The last letter which I have had the pleasure of recieving from you was of the 23. of Dec. 1793. It came to my hands on the 26th. of April. 1794. It acknowleged my letters private down to that of the 7th. of October 1793. inclusive. This statement will give you some idea of the great defalcation to be made in the pleasure I fondly anticipated in your kind soothing and friendly correspondence...
5To John Jay from William Short, 7 January 1795 (Jay Papers)
I had the honor of recieving by the last English mail your letter of the 24 th . of Nov r . & have to return your many thanks for the communication you are so good as to make me, of the signature of a treaty with H[is]. B[ritannic]. M[ajesty]. The progress of this negotiation has been flawed, with an attentive & anxious interest, by all the observing part of Europe, & more peculiarly of course...
6To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 4 November 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
The object of the present letter is to satisfy a request made to me by Mr. Blake soon after his first arrival in this country and now repeated at the moment of his intended departure—namely that I would give him a letter recommendatory to you. Although you have now retired from public life, and will probably therefore have no occasion of seeing or serving Mr. Blake, and if you had would have...
7To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 30 July 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
I have hitherto on more than one occasion & particularly in my letter of the 7th. of March last, done myself the honor of informing you of M. de Gardoqui’s desire to unite certain claims of Spain against the U.S. with the specified debt, which under your authority I had directed the Bankers at Amsterdam to pay off. I have also informed you of my determination to confine myself simply to the...
8Enclosure: William Short to Diego de Gardoqui, 29 June 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
I have had the honor of recieving the letter which Y.E. addressed to me on the 27th. together with the Treasury reciept inclosed. Y.E. observes that information which will be soon sent from America is indispensable in order to reply to my letter of the 10th. of Dec. last, on the subject of the discharge of the obligation of the U.S. to Spain, which is deposed in the Treasury at Madrid as I...
9Enclosure: William Short to Diego de Gardoqui, 3 June 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
By this days post via Lisbon, I have recieved the inclosed bill of exch: for Dos 1220.19.4 drawn by Courteau Echenique Sanchez of Amsterdam on Mess. Pradal Truegas of Madrid, which I do myself the honor of indorsing to Y.E. —it being the amount of the two bills for interest which had been formerly remitted here on account of the debt due by the U.S. to Spain—the interest being calculated up to...
10To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 22 May 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
After writing my last letters of Nov. 7th. 11th. and 13th. I determined not to multiply my intrusions on your time and patience until I should have the satisfaction of once more hearing from you. The last private letter which I had then recieved from you was of the 11th. of July 1793. by Mr. Blake. The same silence continued until the 26th. ulto. when I recieved by the packet of the Spanish...
11To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 7 March 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
I had last the honor of writing to you on the 15th. ulto. & have since then forwarded to the Commissioners at Amsterdam, the power there mentioned for carrying the loan they had opened, into effect. The power was translated into the Spanish language from a model they sent me in Dutch, passed before a Notary public & legalized by the Dutch Minister, in the customary form. From the time of my...
12To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 15 February 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
You will have been informed by the Commissioners at Amsterdam of their having received your letters to them & to me of the 12th. of Aug. last. In forwarding mine they inclosed me a copy of their answer to you. As it then appeared that there was no possibility of making the loan, the direction you gave me as to the co-operation of course could not take its effect. Circumstances having since...
13Enclosure: William Short to Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard, 12 February … (Hamilton Papers)
The duplicate of your letter of Dec. 27. has come to my hands with its inclosures. The first has not yet been recieved. I mention this as a guide. In future I will thank you to send under the cover of Mr Humphreys who has returned to Lisbon, such letters as you address me by that route. Your letter informed me of the loan you had opened for the U.S. & by the copy of that you wrote to the Sec....
14Enclosure: William Short to Diego de Gardoqui, 10 December 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
I have this moment had the honor of recieving the letter which Y. E. did me that of addressing to me on the 7th. inst. in answer to mine desiring to be furnished with a release from the specified debt due by the U. S. to H. C. M. & in which Y. E. informs me that the debt is much more considerable. I have already had often the honor to mention to Y. E. that my orders were to pay the debt to...
15Enclosure: William Short to Diego de Gardoqui, 30 November 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
I do myself the honor of inclosing Y. E a bill of exchange for D 1276.3. 1 drawn by Jacob Dullofels on Messieurs Vercruys & freres which I have this moment received from the bankers of the U. S. at Amsterdam. This they inform me is the complete balance due by the U. S., on their debt specified by their obligation in the Royal treasury of Spain. I hope therefore Y. E. having examined & found...
16To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 13 November 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
A letter from Mr. Donald informs me you had written to him that you were to leave Philadelphia the 1st. of Jany. As this is much later than you had mentioned to me it gives me some hope the President will be able under the present important circumstances both foreign and domestic to induce you to prolong the epoch of your resignation. There certainly never could be a time when it were more...
17To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 11 November 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
On reading over again my last letters of Oct. 7th. and Nov. 7th. I apprehend they may have conveyed an idea I did not intend. With the same absence of all kind of reserve, which has ever prevailed when I have been writing to you, I think it necessary to correct any error which may have been conveyed, and to express more clearly not my wishes but my idea. It might be concieved perhaps from...
18To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 7 November 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the pleasure of recieving by Mr. Blake your friendly letter of July 11th.—and answered it by one of a size so enormous that I should not have had courage to have sent it but for the recollection of your being now retired to private life. Although I have not since been so happy as to hear from you, and of course know nothing more of my affairs in Mr. Browne’s hands than there mentioned,...
19To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 17 October 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
The arrival of Mr. Blake whom the sec. of State has despatched from Philadelphia with letters for Mr. Carmichael & myself, being without any letter from you, & the letters he brought having shewn that several written from hence had not been recieved at the time of his departure, I think it may not be improper to state to you by him, those which I have had the honor of writing to & recieving...
20To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 7 October 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had the pleasure of recieving by Mr. Blake your kind and friendly letter of July. 11th. I cannot too warmly express my grateful feelings on the subjects it treats of, and particularly for the new proofs it gives me of your friendship. The intelligence with respect to my funds in Mr. Browne’s hands was agreeable and satisfactory beyond measure and the more so as it was so much more than...
21To Thomas Jefferson from William Carmichael and William Short, 29 September 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The despatches which you forwarded by Mr. Blake having been delivered to us we think it proper to make use of the first conveyance to announce it to you. This being by the ordinary post we shall send two copies of this letter by to-morrow’s mail being the first for Cadiz and Lisbon. Mr. Blake arrived at Madrid on the 24th. inst. The Court was to come the next day from St. Ildefonso to this...
22To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 20 August 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
This letter is merely to inclose you a copy of the convention between this country and England. For what reason I know not an uncommon degree of secrecy has been observed with respect to it, even since its being signed. And as yet very few persons even of the corps diplomatique have had a sight of it, or have even known with certainty, whether any such convention was really signed; although it...
23To Thomas Jefferson from William Carmichael and William Short, 15 August 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
In our last letter of the 6th. of June we had the honor of informing you of our having written a letter to Mr. Gardoqui on the 26th: of May, agreeably to his desire and in consequence of his promise to give us an immediate answer, to be transmitted officially to the President of the U.S. That answer though promised to us daily at every interview, was daily postponed until the court began to...
24To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 1 July 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The court having determined to transfer its residence from Aranjuez to this place I preceded it four days ago with the members of the corps diplomatique. I had the honor of writing to you last on the 7th. of June—that letter was sent by a person going from hence to England, who was to forward it from Lisbon or England as he should find best—together with a joint letter from Mr. Carmichael and...
25To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 23 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The last private letter which I have had the happiness of recieving from you was of the 3d. of Jany. with a postscript of the 15th. I answered it on the 5th. of April (having previously acknowleged its reciept in my two letters of the 2d. of April) so minutely and went into such lengthy details and in so long, prolix and tedious a letter, that I have not had courage to take up my pen on the...
26To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 7 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my arrival in Spain I have had the honor of writing to you on the 3d. of feb. and 6th. of March. Nothing has since occurred which seemed to authorize my troubling you, except in my joint communications with Mr. Carmichael. The ordinary business of this mission has been followed by him of course exclusively, as well as his usual correspondence with you. The several state papers and public...
27To Thomas Jefferson from William Carmichael and William Short, 6 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
We have had the honor of writing to you jointly on the 19th. of feby.—18th. of April—and 5th of May. These letters were sent by duplicates, and went into very minute details of whatever had occurred here with respect to the business of our joint commission. Such conveyances as could with propriety be made use of have not presented themselves so as to admit of our writing more often—and the...
28To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 11 May 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
Your private letter of the 5th. of febry. forwarded to me by Mr. Pinckney was recieved yesterday. I hasten to reply to it because you observe therein that an investigation intended to prejudice you was begun with respect to the circumstances attending the last payment on account of the French debt, which in its progress might draw my conduct into question. Although as you observe very justly...
29To Thomas Jefferson from William Carmichael and William Short, 5 May 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Since our last of the 18th. ulto. we have had the honor of recieving the duplicate of yours of the 3d. of Novr. (the original has not yet come to our hands). The papers severally alluded to therein were recieved inclosed. Mr. Morris had forwarded them to us from Paris on the 4th. of March. The person he had charged with them having determined not to proceed further than Bayonne, these papers...
30To Thomas Jefferson from William Carmichael and William Short, 18 April 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
When we had last the honor of addressing you we mentioned the delay which had taken place with respect to the business with which we are charged here. We then hoped that delay had ceased as we were just informed that His Majesty had designated the person to treat with us on his behalf. We have found ourselves however much mistaken in our hope. As soon as it was announced to us that M. de...
31To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 5 April 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you two letters on the 2d. inst. via Cadiz and Lisbon, each inclosing a power of attorney to you and asking the favor of you to do what you could for me in a case where I may be perhaps totally ruined—I mean the bankruptcy of Donald & Burton and consequently I fear of Mr. Browne. I was about answering your letter of Jan. 3d. and postscript 15th. in a disordered state both of body and...
32To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 2 April 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my arrival in this country I have written to you in your public character Feb. 3 and March. 6.—and M. Carmichael and myself have written to you also Feb. 19. I have delayed for some time resuming my private correspondence because I wished to know a little more of this residence before speaking to you of it—and because I have been indisposed ever since my arrival in this country—and have...
33To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 2 April 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you this morning by the way of Cadiz informing you of the distressing account which I have just received of the bankruptcy of the house of Donald & Burton. As you know that their agent Mr. Browne has in his hands, the whole of the funds for which my patrimonial estate was sold you will judge of the state of mind in which this places me. I wrote to you from the Hague Nov. 30—and Dec....
34To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 30 March 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
I recieved yesterday from the commissioners at Amsterdam a letter dated the 26th. of february. It came by the way of England & Lisbon, the communication by post between Holland & France being intercepted. They had not therefore recieved the letters I had written to them by that route & they had not had time to have recieved such as had been written to them by precaution by the way of Lisbon....
35To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 22 March. 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
My late letters of the 4th. 25th. & 29th. of febry will have informed you of the state of the American affairs at Amsterdam as far as they were then known to me. I have been for some time in expectation of an answer from the commissioners that I might know what they had done or were like to do in consequence of my authorisation to open a loan for two millions of florins & in case of absolute...
36Enclosure: William Short to Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard, 22 March … (Hamilton Papers)
I recd. on the 19th. your letter of the 14th. of febry. inclosing 23. bills of exchange on acct. of the debt to this country wch. were immediately indorsed & given to the Minister of finance. By yesterday’s French post I acknowleged & answered you letter. To day I recd. your letter of the 19th. of febry. covering the secod. of the said bills. The length of time your two letters have been in...
37To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 6 March 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 3d. ulto. from Madrid announcing to you my arrival there on the 1st. Since then M. Carmichael and myself have written to you a joint letter of the 19th. ulto. informing you of such circumstances as had then taken place concerning the business with which we are jointly charged—and particularly of the nomination of M. de Gardoqui to treat with us. We...
38To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 29 February 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last of the 25th. (of which a duplicate is inclosed) I have had the honor of recieving from Amsterdam yours of the 31st. of Dec. acknowleging the reciept of mine up to the 9th. of Oct. inclusive. I have nothing at present to add to the contents of my last letter having as yet recieved no further advice from the commissioners at Amsterdam. No answer from them to my letter of the 4th of...
39To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 25 February 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 5th. inst from Madrid informing you that on my arrival there. I was overtaken by a letter sent from our Commissioners at Amsterdam, dated the 14th. of Janry. & covering your two letters to me of Nov. 5 & 26. They inclosed at the same time your letter to them of Nov. 5. authorising them in the case of my absence to open that addressed to me which they...
40To Thomas Jefferson from William Carmichael and William Short, 19 February 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
It has been our intention for some time past to have commenced our joint correspondence with you—and we have only deferred it because we flattered ourselves from day to day that we should be able at the same time to inform you of some step taken in the negotiation with which the President has been pleased to charge us. Although our commission was recieved at Madrid so long ago as the 1st. of...
41To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 5 February 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Madrid, February 5, 1793. On February 25, 1793, Short wrote to Hamilton : “I had the honor of writing to you on the 5th. inst from Madrid.” Letter not found. ]
42To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 3 February 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
My letter from the Hague of the 18th. of Dec. will have informed you of my intention to set out from that place the next day and proceed to this by the way of France. This I have accordingly done, and have now the honor to inform you of my arrival here the day before yesterday, after completing my journey of 400 leagues. I was singularly and unexpectedly fortunate in meeting with no impediment...
43To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 15 January 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I address this letter to you in your private character. It is merely to inform you of my being thus far on my way to Madrid. It will probably find you at Monticello. My last from the Hague will have informed you of the causes of my delay there after recieving your despatches for Spain. Nothing induced me to pass through France, but the inevitable desire to see the distressed and unfortunate...
44To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 18 December 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 8th. inst. and I then expected to have left this place much sooner on my way to Madrid. I have been detained by the necessity of recieving an answer from Paris relative to the assurance of passing through France and by business that it was necessary to settle at Amsterdam previously to my departure. I proposed first taking that place in my way in which...
45To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 18 December 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
My public letter of this day will inform you of the causes of my being detained here till now. And that I leave this place certainly to-morrow for Madrid by the way of France. I mentioned in my last (private) of Nov. 30. how my affairs stood in Mr. Browne’s hands and my desire to have them placed in my own name. The reason he gave me for keeping them in his was to avoid the trouble of a power...
46To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 17 December 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 29th. ulto by the English packet, the day after I had recieved the letters of the Secretary of State relative to the business in Spain. I expected then to be able, to set out from this place, much sooner. I have been detained by the answer from Paris not arriving as soon as it might have done & by my wish to recieve from the commissioners at Amsterdam &...
47To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 8 December 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
In my last of Nov. 30 I had the honor of informing you I had recieved on the 28th. the letters and papers relative to the Spanish business, and that I should lose no time in setting out for Madrid agreeably to your orders. I mentioned the steps I had taken in order to ascertain whether I could be assured of passing the Spanish frontier (in the case of a general prohibition) by writing to M....
48To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 30 November 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor of recieving the day before yesterday from Amsterdam, your letters of March 18. and Oct. 14—together with the papers accompanying them for me and two parcels for M. Carmichael. I shall lose no time in repairing to Madrid. The route through France is much to be preferred if there be a certainty of passing the Spanish frontier. I have already written to M. Morris and spoken to...
49To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 30 November 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you a thousand thanks for your friendly letter of Oct. 16 and its enclosed extracts of those of March 18 and April 24. I recieved it the day before yesterday from Amsterdam with the others accompanying it. I have written already to M. Morris and spoken to the French Minister, who is still here incognito as it were, to know if I can pass through France with the certainty of not being...
50To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 29 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of addressing you on the 2d. of this month in reply to your letter of the 28th. of August recieved the day before. I was averse to writing to you again before I could transmit at the same time the account I then informed you I had written for to Amsterdam. The commissioners have assured me several times they are pushing forward as fast as they can the general account from the...